WE DID IT!
After three years of hardwork, dedication and perseverance, Field 2 at McCarren Park, Brooklyn has been officially renamed to the “Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. Ballfield.”
Family, friends, community leaders, and local residents gathered on Sunday, June 21, 2026, for the official dedication of the newly named “Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. Softball Ballfield” at McCarren Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The field dedication honors the life and legacy of Ronnie Ortiz, Jr., a beloved member of the Williamsburg softball community who was tragically killed on September 14, 2022, in an act of gun violence resulting from mistaken identity. He was 30 years old and just days away from celebrating his 31st birthday.
Known for his kindness, infectious personality, and passion for softball, Ronnie spent countless hours competing and building friendships on the very field that now bears his name. To many in the Williamsburg Softball League, he was more than a talented player—he was a friend, teammate, and source of positivity whose impact continues to be felt throughout the community.
Following Ronnie’s passing, friends and supporters established The Pursuit for Ronnie Ortiz, Jr., an organization dedicated to preserving his memory through community engagement, youth programming, and positive neighborhood initiatives.
Over the past three years, the organization has hosted annual softball and baseball clinics, family events, and community gatherings at McCarren Park, CitiField and Yankees Stadium, creating opportunities for children and families to participate in the sport Ronnie loved while fostering a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds. These efforts have helped strengthen community bonds and carry forward Ronnie’s spirit of friendship, inclusion, and joy.
Working in partnership with the Brooklyn Waterfront Committee and Brooklyn Community Board 1, supporters successfully advocated for the permanent renaming of the field where Ronnie grew up playing softball.
The dedication ceremony took place on Sunday, June 21, 2026, on Field 2 at McCarren Park, which has officially become the “Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. Ballfield.”
Guest speakers were Jaylen Ortiz, Ronnie’s brother representing his family, Jonathan Metzl, a Professor of Sociology and Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, and author of the books Dying of Whiteness and What We’ve Become. Brooklyn Burrow President Antonio Reynoso and New York City Council 33 member Lincoln Restler.
“This dedication is more than the naming of a field,” said Holland Cowger, Board Member of The Pursuit for Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. “It is a lasting tribute to Ronnie’s life, the impact he had on so many people, and the community that came together to ensure his memory will never be forgotten.”
Our Mission
To honor the memory of Ronnie Ortiz, Jr., and the positivity he brought to our lives, by renaming the softball fields at McCarren Park, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to the "Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. Fields."
At the Ronnie Ortiz Jr. Fields, we will hold annual baseball and softball clinics for children and families of the community so they will have a safe and inspiring place to play the sport that Ronnie loved and chase the Pursuit of Happiness just as Ronnie would have wanted.
Our Story
On September 14, 2022, we lost one of our best friends to a senseless act of gun violence. Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. was taken from us at the age of 30, just days before his 31st birthday. Ronnie loved playing softball with his friends at McCarren Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He was one of the best, fun, popular and kind players the Williamsburg Softball League has ever known.
Our Mission is to have the memory of Ronnie live on at McCarren Park forever by getting the fields named after him to the "Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. Fields”.
To accomplish this goal, we have established The Pursuit – The Ronnie Ortiz, Jr. Foundation.
This foundation will strive to make it the best softball fields in all of New York City. With annual events we will remember the positive energy Ronnie brought to all our lives by creating a safe place for adults, children, families and people of all walks of life. We will hold annual baseball and softball clinics for children and families of the community to either play the sport Ronnie loved, or simply bring their children for a fun afternoon. By doing this we will have honored the true memory of Ronnie and brought the neighborhood closer together and to continue chasing the Pursuit of Happiness.
With the support of the community, we hope to achieve this goal of getting the field renamed after Ronnie Ortiz Jr. One is was a cherished positive light on and off the field!
